Improvement in paddle-wheels



Ifrom the centre to the ends.

at 1eme.

JAMES MAHONY, OF NEWPORT, RHODE ISLAND.

Letters Paten-t No. 96,603, dated November 1869.

IMPROVEMENT IN PADDLE-WHEELS.

The Schedule referred to in these Lettera Patent and making part of the same.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, J AMES MAHONY, of Newport, in the county of Newport, and State of Rhode Island, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in :Paddle-Wheels for Steamers; and I do hereby declare that the following is a -full and exact description thereof.

My invention is intended to expose less oat-surface to lift water, and to soften the concussion, and to diminish the sound and other attendant evils resulting from the sudden blow in striking the water. It is expected to increase the speed materially, as it is believed that it will be more 'eicient than the ordinary paddlewheel in thisrespect.

I hold my paddle-floats in or very near the ordinary radial planes; that is, their inner edges are presented toward the shaft, instead of ranging obliquely forward or backward. l

This is the correct position, as far as the planes or the general range of the faces is concerned. But I set the paddles obliquely in the' other direction, and I divide the wheel into two widths, each width having the' paddles set obliquelyin this respect; that is to say, there are three rims tothe wheel, one at each side, and one in the middle. One oat is set out to the full diameter-on the middle rim, and is set in, or reefed on each of the end rims. Then the next float is set in, or reefed on the middle rim, and is set out to the full diameter on each of the end rims. Then the ,third ioat is set out to the'full diameter on the centre rim, and' is reefed on the end rims, and so on.

alternately quite around the wheel.

It follows that one paddle strikes thewater with, the centre of its length first, and wit-h its ends after?" ward, the immersion progressing gradually outward The next paddle strikes at and near its ends, and strikes afterward at its centre. The blow being tljus distributed, is materially softened, and the noises, tremblings, and the evils generally resulting from repeated severe concussions are lessened.

My arrangement diiie'rs materially from those in which the planes of the paddles. are oblique, because the planes of my paddle are not oblique, but radial, thus acting on the water in the. true line. I nclining the planes always involves evils. Inclining them one way makes them enter the water easily, but in coming out of the water such paddles lift the water. worse than those of the ordinary wheels. Inclining the planes of the 'floats the other way would make them come out of the water easily, but they strike the water still more like Sledge-hammers than those of the ordinary wheel; Inclining the iloats the whole lengt-h of the wheel involves, as compared with the common wheel, a part of the advantages due to my arrangement. It causes the blow `to be distributed, but if the Obliquity in such paddles is carried to a suicient extent, it makes the reefed ends of the paddle almost or quite ineffective; in other words, it too greatly reduces the average diameter of th`e`wheel.

- My arrangement, as shown,rhaving each paddle obiiquc in its longitudinal position, and divided, in effect, if not literally, into two lengths, accomplishes the end; and gives a suiiicient Obliquity, without too greatly/af- -fecting the mean diameter of the wheel.

those involved in the use ot the wide wheels,a which i can be made available in still water.'

My invention allows the use of the largest wheels and the broadest paddles otherwise practicable, and almost entirely avoids the diiriculty due to their'eoncus'sive action, as also, in great part, the'lifting of thewater. 4

Theaccompanying drawings form a part of tlns specification.

Figure 1 is a side view of the entire wheel; Figure 2 is a vertical section' in the plane of the axis of the shaft, showing only the lower half of the wheel, it being understood that the upper haltl is similar; and

Figure 3 represents a float, or paddle, detached from the same to better exhibit its best form.

Similar letters of reference indicate like parts in both the figures. l

A is the shaft, and

B2B? are the outer and inner centres or fran1es,car rying' arms andrims, which form the outer and inner boundaries or sides, so to speak, of the wheel.

C is a corresponding centre, with arms and rim mounted half way-between the frame B1 and the'frame B2. I will designate the several arms and rims, in other words, theentire frame at the outer side, by the letter'Bl, the entire middle frame by the letter O, and the entire inner frame by the letterI B".

It is desirable, for various lreasons, to make the oats as thin as is consistent'wit-h strength. I have represented, and will describe my floats as made of thin steel or wronght-iron,jwitlr sharp edges. that such are, theoretically, very desirable, but do not limit my invention tothe use of suchmaterial. They may be made ot' hard, strong wood, or any other approved material. y

The iioats are respectively numberedd, 2, 3, 4, 86e. The floats with the odd numbers, l, 3, 5, 7, 8tc.,-fare I believe A set ont in the centre and in at each end; that is, the part which is adjacent and bolted to the eentrerim G, is further from the axis of the wheel than that which is adjacent and bolted to either of' the end frames B1 B2.

'lhefloats which have the even numbers, 2, 4, 6,. p Snc., are in the reverse posit-ion; that is, the part which is bolted `to the centre frame C is nearer the axis of the. shaft A than the parts which are bolted to the| end flames B1 B2. It follows that the paddles alternate in position.

I attach much `importance to the fact, that while the paddles thus alternate in their oblique positions, the' wheel is divided into two lengths, so ,that no part is reefed or contracted in diameter as much as would be necessary if the oats were in a single length.

I can make the paddles in two distinct lengths, if preferred.

I do not confine my improvement to the particular angle of Obliquity there shown. It may be increased or diminished a little without material detriment, or the outlines may be slight-ly curved, so as to approximate to the form of a crescent instead of a V, ,so long as the suli'aee is a plane and stands practically radial to the shaft. Bot I believe the straight edges and the degree of Obliquity shown are the best for general practice.

I do not claim separately placing the paddles in 0b liqne positions, alternating the inclination, or dividing them into two lengt-hs; but i I claim the specific arrangement herein set forth; that is, placing them obliquely in half lengths, arranged so that the half lengths alternate in position, while each halt length sets with the plane of its face passingr through or near the axis of the shaft, all substantially as and for the purposes herein set forth.

In testimony whereof', I have hereunto set my name, in prese-nce of two subscribing witnesses.

JAMES IWIAHONY.

W'itn esses BEXJN. FIN-CH, SAML. T. MELVILL. 

